Manage my Hypertension

Market: Complex Patients - People with high blood pressure

Scenario: A 45-year-old complex patient is informed of their high blood pressure reading. Concerned, they follow up to discuss a treatment plan, which includes lifestyle changes. The patient implements the changes diligently and monitors their progress. With their doctor's guidance, they adjust the plan as needed, establishing a long-term management approach for their hypertension.

Average Difficulty: Medium (max difficulty scores are mostly in the 20-30% range or mostly mild with a few intense steps)

42 Outcomes 3% to 37% Difficulty

Research Insights

This study identified key areas where patients with hypertension face difficulties: lifestyle changes, medication management, and long-term health planning. Making necessary lifestyle changes and seeking help to do so are the most challenging aspects. Patients also struggle with medicine management, especially when life changes occur or when confirming medication doses. Establishing a confident, long-term health strategy is another significant challenge.

Job Steps

1. Informed of a High Blood Pressure Reading

2. Follow up or discuss with a provider

3. Develop treatment plan

4. Implement lifestyle changes

5. Monitor Progress

6. Adjust plan as needed

7. Establish long-term management

Themes Identified

• Lifestyle Adaptation and Management: Making changes in lifestyle, getting help and motivation for changes, and learning about lifestyle modifications for high blood pressure.
• Medicine Management: Changing medicine with life changes, confirming correct dosage, finding alternative options, and understanding choices when health changes.
• Health Monitoring and Long-term Planning: Setting up and being confident in long-term health plans, getting better information for planning, and managing emotional aspects of long-term health management.

Recommendations

• Develop a comprehensive lifestyle change support system within the product that includes motivational tools, tracking capabilities, and personalized suggestions.
• Implement an intuitive medicine management feature that helps users track their medications, understand dosages, and adjust medicine with life changes.
• Create a long-term health planning tool that helps users set, review, and adjust their health goals with clear, actionable information and milestones.
• Offer easy access to professional health advice and peer support groups to provide guidance and encouragement for users managing high blood pressure.

Cautions

• Avoid focusing on areas where there is already high success and comfort, such as understanding the dangers of high blood pressure and feeling comfortable getting blood pressure checked.
• Do not prioritize immediate changes to tools for checking blood pressure at home, as there is already high ease and success in this area.
• Do not invest heavily in resources for feedback after checking blood pressure, as this is less of a difficulty for users.
• Ensure that the lifestyle change support system is personalized and adaptable to individual needs and preferences to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.